Traffic signal



May 22, 1951 R. cs.A FERGUSON 2,553,906

TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Aug. so, 194s z sheets-smet 1 gwvwvbodv lbert f'elglwan @MF Fm ATTO R N EY Patentecl May 22, 1951 vTRAFFIC SIGNAL Robert O. Ferguson, Bristolfllenn., assigner of one-half to Bristol lSteel & Iron Works, Inc., Bristol, Va., a corporation of Virginia `Application August 30, 1948, Serial No. 46,730

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a traiiic signal for use at street intersections. l.An object of the invention is to provide a traine signal having a maximum number of direction indicators, all mounted in a unitary casing. Y An additional object of the invention is to provide a traflic signal comprising a base or panel having apertures, there being a multiplicity of indicator units, any one of which may be inserted in the apertures. 4'A further object of the invention is to provide a traffic signal comprising a base or panel, the panel being of the outline of the street intersection, with apertures in the panel for the introduction of indicator units.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a traffic signal comprising a base or panel having apertures for the introduction of primary and secondary indicator units, the units being of especial construction, as hereinafter described.

V'Other objects of the invention will be found throughout the specification.

f In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a traflic signal; -A Figure 2 is a side elevation of the traiiic signal shown in Figure 1;

, Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the traffic signal shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the main or primary indicator units;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a diierent form of traffic signal;

Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the trafc signal shown in Figure 5; and .v Figure '7 is a perspective view of one auxiliary indicator units.

Heretofore, it has been the `practice to erect at street intersections a plurality of units, arranged in a vertical column, said individual units displaying Stop, Go and Caution signals. In fsuch cases, where the traic was to be directed through only and/or right turn and/or 0f the left turn, there was attached to one or more ofthe vertically arranged columns of Stop,

Go and Caution signals painted signs such as No left turn, Thru only, Right turn only, or similar signs. Sometimes, these signs were attached to the right or left of the Go signal. During periods of poor visibility, such as during rainy or foggy weather, or at night, it became impossible to read these painted signs, such as No left turn, etc.

The present signal aims to do away with such makeshift types of lettered sign traflic signal attachments and, in addition, to provide a signal having clearly indicated thereon the direction or directions in which traffic is permitted to proceed.

Furthermore, a single panel or housing has been constructed so as to take care of the various Right, Left or Thru signals and those indicating- No left turn, No right turn or Thru only traiiic, In one form of the invention, the panel also is provided with the Caution and Stop signal units.

In Figures 1 to 3 and 5 and 6, two forms of the invention have been illustrated. These signals have been constructed for street corners or highway intersections where the intersection comprises a cross [-l-l. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings and description are for illustrative purposes only, the invention being adapted to be used with various types of intersections, including an intersection having a through street and a single street running perpendicular thereto forming a T. Other intersections include a street or highway with branches therefrom. Such an intersection is termed a Y.

The invention is adapted to many other forms of signals which may designate other types of intersections, and these include streets which run into a circle in a manner similar to the spokes of a wheel, or streets which connect with the four corners of a square and at points between the corners.

In the drawings, referring particularly to Figures 1 to 3, 4 and 7,- A indicates the panel or base of the signal and B an ornamental -top or cap for said panel. The panel may be made of any suitable material, and is preferably made of Weather-resisting metal, such as aluminum, stainless steel, or of an alloy containing a nonrusting metal, such as nickel.

The panel shown in these figures is provided with a front face l. The numerals 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 'l designate main or primary indicator units, and the numerals 8, 9, i0 and Il indicate auxiliary or secondary indicator units.

Both the primary and secondary indicator units are so positioned in the panel as to indicate, when illuminated, whether a motorist may proceed along the streets indicated in the outline of the panel or whether the motorist should not so proceed. Additionally, the center of the panel is provided with Stop and Caution indicator units.

All of the primary units, except the Stop and Caution indicator units, are for the purpose of indicating the direction in which the motorist may proceed and the auxiliary or secondary indicator units designate, when suitably illuminated, which streets may not be used by the motorist. It will be noted that the through, right and left lanes each have primary and secondary indicator units. Only one of these pairs is illuminated during one period of time, the lighting being alternated at regular intervals.

The turn itself, whether right or left, is indi- 3 cated by the stripe I2. This may be a white stripe, or one of any other color contrasting with the color of the front face oi the panel. Although not shown, there may be reflector buttons, or other types of reflectors, located in the area of the stripe I2.

Each primary indicator unit is provided with a pairoi hinges I3. Lenses I4, I5, I6, II, I8 and I9 are also provided for the units. The lens I4 is provided with an arrow 42 indicating through traic; lens I is provided with an arrow indicating a right turn; lens Il is provided with a straight line 44 which, at a distance, appears as the tail of any one of the arrows; and lens I8 is provided with a left turn arrow 45. The numeral I8 indicates the hoods of the lenses for each primary indicator unit.

As seen in Figure 4, each primary indicator unit is provided with side walls 2d, These side walls closely engage the squared apertures 32, 33, 34, 35, 3l and 39, as seen in Figure 3. The auxiliary or secondary indicator units, shown in Figurev 7, are provided with straight walls I4', I5', and a vertical flange I3 having apertures It for attachment oi' the indicator units in position in the several apertures 35, 38, 49 and 4I, shownas extending through the panel in Figure 3. Referring to Figure 3, it will be noted that the housing for the electrical wires connected to light bulbs or other sources or illumination within both the primary and secondary indicator units is shown in the form of pipes or conduits 25, 28, 29 and` 3|. These pipes may connect the units as Vshown in Figure 3, but may be connected to the units in any suitable manner.

The primary indicator units are each provided .with a flange adjacent the front face thereof for attaching these units in the several apertures in the panel in the same way that the secondary unit shown in Figure I may be attached. The secondary units may be provided with hoods I I2.

It is to be understood that, although the units shown in Figures 4 and 7 are square or oblong in cross-section, these units may be circular in crosssection or may have any number o sides. Therefore, they may be pentagonal, hexagonal, Octagcnal, or have any other number of sides, but it is preferred, in order that they may be rigidly mounted in the panel, that the cross-section of the units correspond to the conguration of the apertures of the panel into which they t.

The structure shown in Figures 5 and 6 is similar to the structure shown in Figures l to 3, eX- cept that the Stop and Caution units have been omitted from the center of the panel. In these iigures, the panel A is provided with the usual ornamental cap B. An auxiliary or secondary indicator unit Illa, such as shown in Figure 7, may be mounted between the cap and the primary indicator unit l5, which unit is located inA the through trafc portion of the panel. Other primary indicator units l, Tl, i8 and 'I9 represent the stripes which show the turns, and these stripes are in contrast to the color of the face ofthe panel. Alternatively, any suitable construction may be employed to'cause the stripes to'be illuminated by lighting means. For instance, the stripes l2 or 18 may be made of neon tubes or openings may be cut through the panel 'in the shape of stripes and a source of illumination placed on the back of the panel in such a position as to shine through the openings cut in the shape of the stripes.

Referring to Figure 6, it will be noted that the primary indicator units are located in square 4 apertures 3c, SI, 32 and 83, and the auxiliary or secondary indicator unit is shown in an oblong aperture 24. Other corresponding crosssectional shapes may be used for units and apertures.

As shown in Figure 6, the various units are connected to each other and to a central union member by means of metal conduits 26', 21', 28;,

The wires connected to the light bulbs or other sources of illumination within the units are housed in these conduits, and these wires may be connected to a suitable source of electricity, such as the usual city 11G-volt, E50-cycle alternating current, through the union member shown centrally of the drawings in Figures 3 and-6'.

Preferably, the signals are mounted on lamp posts or other standards, which are provided with clips or other means not shown, which rigidly engage the pipes shown in Figures 3 and 6. The signals, however, may be mounted in vany suitable location, such as on the side of a building by suitable supports, or they may be suspended on wires or cables extending transversely across a street, immediately in front of the intersection.

- The primary indicator units, except the Caution and Stop units, are usually provided with green lenses and each preferably has an arrow mounted on the lens to indicate direction when the light source within the unit is illuminated, except the lowerrnost unit. This usually has a green lens and is preferably lit continuously to form the tail of the arrows of the through, right and lei-t lenses shown in Figures 1 and 5. The auxiliary or secondary indicator units are preferably provided with red lenses and when one of these is illuminated, it shows that traffic is not permitted to proceed on that street until the light for these units is turned ofi^ and the adjacent primary unit is illuminated [with its direction arrow] to indicate the change in trainc.

Should there be a one-way street coming into the intersection, from the direction opposite the arrow 42, or arrow 43, or arrow 45 (Figure l) the light behind secondary indicator units I0, II or 9, respectively, is kept on continuously and its adjacent primary indicator unit '[4, 5 or 2] is not illuminated as long as that street remains a one-way street coming into the intersection. It is toy be understood that the changing of the light signals within the primary' and secondary indicator'units is accomplished by master control switching mechanism, supplemented when necessary by manual controls of the type now commonly used in cities having traffic light systems. The present signal is one forming part of a city traffic control system, there being one or more of them used at each important tra-flic intersection, all .being preferably connected to a central control station. f

It will be understood thatchanges may be made to the structures shown, provided they come within the scope of the appended claims. jl claim:

l. A traffic signal comprising a panel vhaving a' plurality of apertures extending therethrough, said panel being in the shape of a highway intersection, and a plurality of primary indicator units detachably mounted in some of said apertures whereby said primary units may be interclzangeably positioned on said panel, certain of said apertures being located in vertical central alignment with each other and certain o'fsaidcentrally aligned apertures having stop and caution indicator units located in said apertures, and auxiliary indicator units in others of said apertures each positioned adjacent to a primary indicator unit, certain of said auxiliary units being positioned on opposite sides of the primary indicator units and still another auxiliary indicator unit being located above still another of said primary indicator units, said apertures for the primary units being of different size than the apertures for said auxiliary indicator units, whereby a primary and a secondary unit located adjacent to teach other may be alternately illuminated to indicate the movement or stoppage of tramo in a trahie lane.

2. A traic signal comprising a panel having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, said panel being in the shape of a highway intersection, and a plurality of primary indicator units detachably mounted in some of said apertures whereby said primary units may be interchangeably positioned on said panel, certain of said apertures being located in vertical central alignment with each other and certain of said vertically centrally aligned apertures having stop and caution indicator units located in said apertures, direction indicating units on opposite sides of said stop and caution units, auxiliary indicator units in others of said apertures each positioned adjacent to a primary indicator unit, certain of said auxiliary units being positioned on opposite sides of the primary indicator units, and still another auxiliary indicator unit being located above still another of said primary indicator Units, and ilange means on said units for attaching the same to said panel, whereby a primary and a secondary unit located adjacent to each other may be alternately illuminated to indicate the movement or stoppage of traic in a trac lane,

3. A trafc signal comprising a panel having a front face in the shape of a street intersection, a plurality of multi-sided openings extending through said panel, said openings being in vertical alignment, a plurality of additional multisided openings extending through said panel, said openings being on a line which is at an angle to said first-named openings, all of said openings indicating the general shape of a street intersection, a plurality of indicator units of substantially the same shape as said openings, means for detachably mounting said units in said openings whereby said units may be interchangeably positioned on said panel, each of said units having a lens, each of said units being adapted to house a source of illumination, certain of said units having direction indicating indicia, and means comprising conduits extending parallel to the back of said panel for connecting circuit means to certain of said units whereby said units may be alternately illuminated to indicate the movement or stoppage of traino in a tra-nic lane.

4. A traffic signal comprising a panel having a front face in the shape of a street intersection, a plurality of multi-sided openings extending through said panel, said openings being in vertical alignment, a plurality of additional multisided openings extending through said panel, said openings being on a line which is at an angle to said first-named openings, a plurality of indicator units of substantially the same shape as said openings, means for detachably mounting said 6 units in said openings whereby said units may b interchangeably positioned on said panel, each oi said units having a lens, each of said units being adapted to house a source of illumination, certain of said units having indicating arrows, and means comprising conduits extending parallel to the back of said panel for connecting circuit means to certain of said units whereby said units may be alternately illuminated to indicate the movement or stoppage of trane in a trame lane, certain of said units being of smaller size than others of said units and being in the shape of a bar, said last-named units having stop indicia and a casing for light sources, each of said smaller units being located immediately adjacent a larger unit.

5. A traic signal comprising a panel having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, said p-anel having means for indicating the shape of a highway intersection, a plurality of primary indicator units detachably mounted in some of said apertures whereby said primary indicator units may be interchangeably positioned on said panel, certain of said apertures being located in vertical central alignment with each other and indicator units in said apertures, and at least one auxiliary indicator unit detachably mounted in another of said apertures and positioned in offset relationship to said vertically aligned apertures whereby said primary units and said auxiliary unit may be alternately illuminated to indicate the movement or stoppage of traffic in a traflic lane.

6. A traiiic signal comprising a panel having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, said panel having means for indicating the shape of a highway intersection, and a plurality of primary indicator units detachably mounted in some of said apertures whereby said primary units may be interchangeably positioned on said panel, certain of said apertures being located in vertical central alignment with each other and indicator units in each of said apertures, and at least auxiiiary indicator units detachably mounted in another of said apertures and positioned adjacent to a primary indicator unit, said apertures for said primary units being of di'lerent size than the aperture for the auxiliary unit whereby a primary and auxiliary unit located adjacent to each other may be alternately illuminated to indicate the movement or stoppage of trafc in a traiiic lane.

ROBERT O. FERGUSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 148,528 Ferguson Feb. 3, 1948 D. 148,529 Ferguson Feb. 3, 1948 1,363,566 Churchill Dec. 28, 1920 1,366,107 Wefel Jan. 18, 1921 1,638,625 Field Aug. 9, 1927 1,778,717 Handlan Oct. 21, 1930 1,989,237 Lilly et al Jan. 29, 1935 2,006,675 Ferguson July 2, 1935 2,228,835 Leppert Jan. 14, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 541,156 France Apr. 8, 1922 

